1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to bulk bins, and more particularly to bulk bins made of corrugated paperboard with means to resist initiation of tearing of the vertical scores in the bin.
2. Prior Art
Many products are stored and shipped in bulk containers, which are commonly constructed of corrugated paperboard. These containers or bins may be used to hold up to 2400 pounds of product, and are often used to ship and store flowable products. For instance, the poultry industry uses corrugated paperboard bulk bins to ship and store flowable de-boned meat product. Flowable products, in particular, exert an enormous force on the side walls of the bin, tending to cause them to bulge outwardly, especially toward the bottom of the bin.
Bulk containers or bins made of corrugated paperboard have side walls joined along vertical score lines, and bottom flaps are usually joined to the bottom edges of the side walls, with the flaps separated from one another by flap cuts or slots. In conventional constructions the flap slots terminate at or closely adjacent the lower end of the vertical scores, and the stresses exerted on the bin when it is filled with flowable product tend to concentrate in the area where slots terminate adjacent the bottom end of the scores. This stress concentration further tends to focus along an axis leading from the flap slot into the lower end of the vertical score, with the result that splitting of the vertical score is initiated, sometimes resulting in tearing along the entire length of the vertical score and failure of the bin.
Accordingly, there is need for a bulk bin having means to prevent initiation of splitting of the vertical score in a bulk bin, caused by concentration and focusing of stresses into a lower end of the vertical score from the flap slot.